Trump Nominates Azar to be next HHS Secretary

Trump Nominates Azar to be next HHS Secretary

On November 13, President Donald Trump formally nominated former pharmaceutical executive and George W. Bush administration official Alex Azar to serve as the next Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). The agency had been without a head since the end of September, when then-Secretary Tom Price resigned following revelations that he had spent over $1 million on travel on private jets over seven months in charge of the agency. In the Bush administration, Azar worked for HHS, first as general counsel for the agency and eventually working his way up to deputy secretary. After his stint at HHS, Azar worked for the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly for about a decade before leaving earlier this year. Azar is expected to take the lead on many Trump administration priorities including the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act, lowering prescription drug prices, and helping to address the opioid crisis.